Dredging-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. H. WHEELER.

DREDGING MACHINE.

No. 445,268. Patented Jan.27,1891.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. WHEELER.

DREDGING MACHINE.

No. 445,268. I Patnted Jam-2'7, 1891.

WILLIAM H. WHEELER, OF SOIOTOVILLE, OHIO.

DREDGlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,268, dated January 27, 1891.

Application filed September 29, 1890. Serial No- 366,522. (No model.)

To all'whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Soiotoville, in the county of Scioto and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dredging or Ditching Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to dredging or ditching machines, and has special reference to the means for anchoring the same to the banks of the stream or channel in which the machine is operated.

Among the objects in vieware to construct a dredge adapted to operate in narrow channels and streams, to provide the same with means for anchoring the dredge in a stable manner either to the bottom or bed of the stream or to the banks thereof, to provide means for readily adjusting either or both of the anchors and their supports to the difference in elevation or irregularity of opposite banks or the bed of the stream, to decrease the number of timbers usually employed, and to materially strengthen the spud-frame and lessen the strain upon the hull of the dredge.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a dredge provided with an anchoring mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through the spudframes. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the metal bearingsocket for one of the anchoring-wheels. Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of the spud-adjusting clamp. Fig. 7 is a detail of the clamp-operating shaft.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates the hull of the vessel, and 2 the deck thereof, the hull and deck being of the usual construction. Near the front end of the deck, or what would be the bow of the vessel, is located a pair of rectangular vertical frames 3, said frames consisting of opposite vertical uprights 4, lower transverse sills 5, and upper cross-bars 6, the frames thus constructed being parallel to each other and arranged buta short distance apart. Bolted to the cross-bars 0 and extending over and beyond the front cross-bar is a pair of horizontal timbers 7, which timbers converge at their front ends, are bolted together, and provided with a gudgeon 8, to which is attached the traveling or swinging crane, whichever is used; but as said crane forms no part of my invention, I have not illustrated the same. The upper sides or surfaces of the timbers7 are preferably faced with metal plates 9, extended beyond the rear ends of said timbers and provided with perforations 10. Guy-rods 11 are connected with the perforations and extend to the stern of the vessel, where they are secured in eyes 12. The guy-rods are preferably formed in sections and connected by turn-buckles 13. The spud-frames 3 are suitably trussed and braced by opposite pairs of inclined trusses 15 and transverse truss-rods 16, formed in sections connected by turn-buckles 17, whereby their tension may be increased. The corners of the spud-frames are faced with metal L- shaped plates 18, securely bolted thereto.

Secured to the opposite vertical side bars or timbers 1 and to the sides of the hull are opposite pairs of vertical bars 19, each pair of which is provided with transv'ersely-aligm ing perforations 20.

21 designates a pair of opposite anchoringarms, the outer ends of which are reduced to form bearing-spindles and have mounted thereon anchoring-wheels 22. The bearing portion of the arms 21 are covered by metal skeins 23, which terminate at theirinner ends in straps 24:, riveted to the arms 21. The opposite sides of the arms 21, near their rear ends, have riveted thereto metal straps or plates 25, the inner ends of the straps extending beyond the arms and provided with perforations 26, through which and any pair of adjusting holes 20 may be inserted adjusting-pins 27. The wheels are formed of several layers-in this instance four-of wood, securely bolted together at short intervals, and the two outer layers are provided with metallic rims or tires 28. I

29 designates the pair of opposite spuds, which are formed of two pieces of timber laid side by side and connected by interposed space-blocks 30, located at the upper and lower ends of the spuds, said blocks and timbers forming in each spud a longitudinal slot 31.

shaft is provided with a reduced eccentric-' bearing 34, upon opposite sides of which is mounted a pair of clampingblocks 35, clamped togetherby means of apair of screws 36. The ends of the screws also pass through a clamping or binding plate 37, outside of which said screws are nutted. The clampingblocks are of a width to adapt them to loosely fitthe slots 31 of the spuds, and the clampingplatcs 37 lie flat upon the outer surfaces of the spuds, as shown. The inner and outer surfaces of the spuds are faced with metal strips 39, riveted thereto, and said inner surfaces are designed to ride over the short shafts 33 at each side of the blocks. The rear ends of the short shafts are squared and operatinglevers 40 applied thereto. Chains 41 lead from the free ends of these levers to the rear upper cross-bar 6, thence to the (leek, and to levers 41*, pivoted to the deck convenient to the engineeror operator, said chains running through suitable guide-pulleys secured to suitable points. 7

The spud-frames as a whole are braced at their rear sides by means of a pair of inc-lined braces 42, bolted at their upper ends, as at 3, to the frame and at their lower ends to the deck.

About midway between the lower ends of the inclined braces 42 and the spud-frames there rise from the deck a pair of vertical timbers 45, which extend slightly above the inclined braces and are connected by a crosstimberati. Timbers 47 are bolted to the lower portions of the timbers 45 and to the sides of the hull and are each provided with a series of eyes 48.

49 designates a pair of brace bars or timbers provided at their opposite ends withpairs of opposite straps 50, extending beyond the ends of the bars and perforated. The rear pair of straps is adjusted in any of the eyes 48 by means of a removable bolt 51, and the front pair of straps is connected to the eyebolts of the arms 21 by means of a bolt 52.

53 designates a pair of anchoring-timbers beveled upon their rear sides at their lower ends and pivoted at their upper ends to the hull directly in rear of the perforated bars 19.

In operation the chains for operating the clamps or binding devices of the spuds are slackened and the dredge hauled or propelled to the proper point in narrow ditches or channels, the wheels rolling along the banks and the spuds riding up and down loosely under the clamping-plates, as caused by the undulations of the banks. When it is desired to begin the operation of dredging, the chains are drawn taut by the levers, and the eccentric-shafts thus partially rotated, so that the binding-plates bind snugly or clamp upon the spuds, and the same are locked rigidlyin position. The operation of dredging may now. be carried on without any danger or any lateral movement upon the part of the dredge. The spuds having their bearings even with the crane, undue strain is prevented from -taking place in the hull. There the stream is too wide for the Wheels to travel upon the opposite banks thereof, I remove the arms 21 and the rear braces 49 and swing the spuds down to a vertical position between the opposite pairs of vertical timbers or bars 4, at which point they are locked by the removable pivot-pin before employed for pivoting the arms 21 to the bars 19. The spuds may be adjusted in their vertical position to agree with the bed of the stream when used in this position in the same manner as just described. The changes necessary to alter the character of the spudsthat is, from an inclined to a vertical spud-require but a short time. By means of the pivoted bars 53 any backward motion upon the part of the vessel is avoided.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination, with the hull of a dredge, of a spud-frame mounted thereon, a pair of arms hinged to the frame and terminating at their outer ends in bearings,wheels mounted on the bearings, opposite spuds piv* oted at their lower ends to the arms, and means for adjusting the spuds, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the hull of a dredge, of a spud-framemounted thereon, op posite arms adj ustably pivoted at their inner ends to the frame, opposite spuds pivoted to the arms, means for adjusting the spuds, and Wheels mounted on the ends of the arms, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the hull of a dredge and a pair of opposite arms adj ustably pivoted at their inner ends, of opposite spuds removably pivoted to the outer ends of the arms and means for adjusting the spuds, sub stantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the hull of a vessel, of a spud-frame, opposite arms hinged at their inner ends to the vessel, bearings located at the upper ends of the spud-frame, a shaft mounted in each of the bearings and provided with a reduced eccentric bearing, a block mounted on the bearing, a clamping plate mounted on the block, opposite spuds provided with slots for the reception of the blocks, pivoted at their lower ends to the arms and having their upper ends adapted to ride upon the shafts, and means for rotating said shafts, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with the hull of a vessel, of a spud-frame mounted thereon, opposite arms hinged at their inner ends to the vessel, bearings located at the upper, ends of the spud-frame, a shaft mounted in each pair of bearings and provided with an eccentric intermediate bearing, blocks mounted upon the bearings, opposite spuds provided with slots receiving said block and at their lower ends pivoted to the arms, clamping-plates embracing the spuds, levers mounted on the ends of the shafts, chains connected to the levers and leading to suitable operating-levers conveniently located, and pulleys for guiding the chains, substantially as specified.

6. In a dredge, the combination, with the hull and the pair of opposite rectangular frames, trussed and braced as described and provided with the pairs of opposite perforated bars 19, of the opposite arms 21, removably pivoted in the perforations, the opposite spuds removably pivoted to the outer ends of the arms and adapted to be adjusted between said bars 19, and means for adj ustably securing the spuds to the upper ends of the frames, substantially as specified.

7. In a dredge, the combination, with the hull, the spud-frame, the opposite pivoted arms, the adjustable spuds, and the wheels mounted on the ends of the arm, of the vertical timbers 45, the connecting-bar 46, the opposite bars 47, having the vertical series of eyes 48, and the rear braces .49, pivoted to the outer ends of the bars 21 and to the eyes, substantially as specified.

8. In a dredge, the combination, with the hull, the opposite adjusting-bars, the opposite arms pivoted in the bars and the spuds pivoted to the arms, of the anchor-bars 53, pivoted to the opposite sides of the hull in rear of the adj Listing-bars and depending below said hull, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IVILLIAM ll. \VHEELER.

Witnesses:

S. W. MOODY, J. A. DAVY. 

